A vehicle is normally equipped with a steering wheel. The steering wheel typically protrudes outward from an instrument panel to enable a driver to operate a car.
Although a steering wheel may be used to navigate a vehicle, there are some shortcomings. For example, a steering wheel occupies significant space next to a driver's seat, increasing the difficulty for a driver entering and exiting through the driver's side door of the vehicle, especially where a driver's seat is immovable. Furthermore, the space occupied by a steering wheel is often unavailable for use when a vehicle is parked and/or a driver is not required to operate a steering wheel.
Therefore, there is a need for collapsible vehicular steering wheels to provide additional space for a vehicle operator when retracted. However, some existing collapsible steering wheels are generally manual, requiring significant operator effort to both retract and extend the steering wheel. Moreover, when collapsed, such steering wheels do not generally provide sufficient space to accommodate an airbag. An airbag is required to comply with contemporary vehicle regulations, and is a necessary safety measure to preserve a driver's well-being during an automobile accident. Therefore, it may be desirable to implement a steering wheel that is both automatically collapsible and offers space to accommodate an airbag.